Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

How is a 1,600-year-old tree weathering California's drought?
Four years of too little water is killing millions of trees in the Sierra, yet some giant sequoias still thrive. Tree-climbing scientists are exploring sequoias branch by branch to find their secret.
Climate Cast: Solutions to America's water crisis
Which cities and which corporations are stepping up their water conservation?
Settlement deal reached in 2014 West Virginia chemical spill
Residents affected by a leak of coal-washing chemical into the Elk River reached a deal with a chemical company. A class action suit against a water company was set to move forward in federal court.
California's dire drought message wanes, conservation levels drop
Californians are saving less and less water as the state enters what may be its sixth year of drought, in part because they say they're hearing a less-than-clear message about the drought.
How a far-sighted Minnesota scientist pointed America toward the future
The National Sea Grant Program, which turns 50 years old this month, is the brainchild of a former University of Minnesota Dean who also proposed a domed experimental city in Aitkin County and wrote a famous comic strip.
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association is pledging new efforts to make the state's corn farmers the country's "most sustainable and environmentally responsible."
New database targets federal farm conservation spending
The Environmental Working Group says it took seven years and 28 Freedom of Information requests to get the data.
Science brings success in fight against Minnesota aquatic invaders
Stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species can seem like an uphill battle but one Minnesota group is claiming success keeping non-native flowering rush in check in four Becker County lakes.
Giant sinkhole at Florida plant leaks polluted water into state aquifer
A fertilizer company says third-party tests show the water contaminated with low-level radiation has not leaked off the site into nearby wells. Residents are upset they were not informed for weeks.
Why a river's sad but beautiful song is big on social media
In times of drought two neighboring states argue over rights to the Cauvery River's water. A musician wrote a song about what the river thinks of all this.